If you want to be a social media influencer, Instagram is where it's at. Just about everyone is on the platform, so you've got a large potential audience. This also means your audience is incredibly diverse. Whether you're into home goods, fashion, crafts, or a particular hobby, you'll find plenty of people to network with.
That said, if you want to become influential on Instagram, you're going to need to generate some likes. Everybody wants to get likes, but they're not just a source of momentary satisfaction They're also a basic measure of engagement that lets Instagram know what type of content is popular. The more likes a post gets, the more people's feeds it's going to show up in. So by generating a ton of likes, your content is going to be exposed to more people and grow your audience.
Now, there are some tools and services out there where you can buy Instagram likes. For about $1 per like, you can drive your traffic through the roof. On the downside, this can get expensive. So what are some other ways to boost your Instagram likes? Here are 10 tried and true methods.
1. Use Likezoid
Likezoid is a free to use platform that allows you to get free Instagram likes to your photos in as little as a few clicks. You simply download their free app on your desktop, securely log in to your Instagram account, and watch the likes roll in.
This is a great tool to help you reach the audience you would like to interact with your Instagram profile. And the best part? It's completely free. No catches.
2. Post Great Photos
Instagram is, first and foremost, a photo sharing platform. So if your photos are dull and boring, no amount of other tricks are going to drive more likes. Go through your stories and make an honest assessment. Would you like those posts? Are they actually fun and interesting? Is the image quality good? If not, you've found the root of your problem.
So how do you create better content? For starters, you've got to have a decent camera. If you don't have the latest and greatest smartphone, consider buying one. It's not an expense. It's an investment. And don't waste all your good pictures on a single day. If you've just taken a road trip and gotten 20 sweet pictures, trickle them out over the next 10 days. This will keep people from becoming fatigued, and ensure that they keep coming back for more.
Another way to improve your image quality is to buy some social media templates. With templates, you can spice up your posts with banners, frames, and other decorations. They provide a lot more value and sparkle than a simple Instagram filter. Even better, there are several websites with free templates available for download. As with any free product, be careful with these. If they ask for your personal information, give them a hard pass. But with some fun, colorful templates, you can quickly grow your Instagram audience.
3. Write Engaging Captions
When you think of Instagram, you obviously think of images. But captions can also go a long way towards driving your traffic. So put some thought into them. If you're just typing in a few misspelled words, you're not giving it your all.
Remember, your Instagram page is called a "story" for a reason. So are you weaving a compelling narrative? Use your image captions as if you were writing a novel. Be relatable. Make your audience care about you. Get them interested in your projects. They won't just click "like" because you posted a great picture, they'll click "like" because they like you, the creator!
4. Use Hashtags Strategically
#Hashtags are a great way to introduce your content to a new audience. When people are looking for information on a particular product, they're going to search by hashtag. If your post doesn't have the right hashtag, people aren't even going to have a chance to like it, because they won't see it! By using hashtags strategically, you can draw different people to discover your content, gaining you likes and followers.
The key word is "strategically". For example, using 10 different hashtags on a single post just looks like you're spamming. Instead, research the most popular hashtags for your target audience. Then, use those tags whenever they're appropriate.
5. Run a Like-Based Contest
If you've got a few bucks to buy some prizes, running a contest is a great way to drive likes. People love prizes, especially when they're totally free! So if someone likes the prize, they're more likely than not to click that "like" button. Anyone who clicks has a chance to win, so you can expect plenty of likes. It doesn't get much simpler than that.
But there's also an additional benefit from holding a contest. If people see that you're giving away free stuff, they're more likely to give you a follow. So not only can you get a bunch of likes on one post, you can permanently grow your audience!
6. Take Advantage of Geotagging
One underused feature of Instagram is geotagging. Sure, it can add a nice touch, but do people really care? As it turns out, they do. Research actually shows that people are more likely to engage with a post that has been geotagged.
Geotagging simply means tagging your post with a physical location. To do this, simply click your post and select "Add Location". This will bring up a list of locations to choose from. Not only is this a great way to drive traffic to your individual page, it's also essential for businesses. After all, if you run a business, you want people to know where you are!
7. Keep Posting Consistently
One well-known rule of social media is that consistency will get you results. In fact, Instagram's algorithms are weighted in favor of users who post regularly. For example, let's say you have ten posts ready to go. If you drop them all on one day, you'll get an influx of likes. But if you go silent for the next week, you're going to drop in the rankings again.
Moreover, you'll also build a better relationship with your audience. To use an example from other social media, consider the world's most popular podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience. Joe drops a new podcast every weekday, usually in the middle of the afternoon. His fans know what to expect, so they keep an eye out for his podcasts. The same principle applies to Instagram posts.
8. Use Analytics to Drive Your Strategy
Instagram gives you access to an analytics page to see how your posts perform. So why not use that to your advantage? Perhaps the most important metric is how much engagement you get at different times of day. Is your audience online in the morning? The afternoon? The evening? With analytics, you can time your posts to ensure that they get the most possible exposure.
9. Tag Other Users or Brands
If you've got some friends on Instagram, you probably tag them in your posts. But why not branch out and tag popular users or businesses? This is a dangerous game, so you have to be careful. If you're tagging someone in irrelevant posts or tagging them three times a week, you'll probably get blocked. But if you tag them on an appropriate, relevant post, you may just get a like from a celebrity or a business. This can significantly boost your ranking in Instagram's algorithm.
10. Join Some Groups
Instagram hosts groups - sometimes called "pods" - that are specifically designed for users to trade likes and comments. This can bring huge benefits and significantly boost your profile in Instagram's algorithm. Just make sure to return the favor and like other group members' posts. That way, everybody benefits!
11. Buy Ads
At the beginning, we mentioned that you can buy Instagram likes directly. But there's another way to spend money to boost your brand. Buy ads directly from Instagram to support your profile. This can be expensive, but it can reap huge benefits. Make sure to plan ahead and ensure that your ad is as good as you can make it. And don't get discouraged. It's normal for your first ad to fail. Just tweak things until you find a formula that works for you. If you've got the budget to buy ads, you should also consider buying real Instagram followers to make your profile appear even more credible.
